Graduate CV Example UK (2026): Free Template & Complete Writing Guide

Leaving university is an exciting milestone, but writing your first graduate CV can feel overwhelming. Many graduates worry they don't have enough experience to impress employers. The good news is that recruiters don't expect graduates to have years of professional experience—they're looking for potential, transferable skills and evidence that you can succeed in the workplace.

A well-written graduate CV highlights your education, work experience, placements, internships, volunteering and key skills in a way that demonstrates your suitability for the role. Whether you're applying for a graduate scheme, an entry-level position or your first professional job, your CV should show employers why you're worth interviewing.

This guide explains exactly how to write a graduate CV in the UK, what employers expect to see, common mistakes to avoid and includes a graduate CV example to help you get started.

Contents

• What is a graduate CV?

• How long should a graduate CV be?

• Graduate CV structure

• How to write each section

• Graduate CV example

• Skills employers value

• Common mistakes graduates make

• Frequently asked questions

• Final thoughts

  
  

What is a Graduate CV?

A graduate CV is a professional document that introduces you to employers after completing university or college. Its purpose is to demonstrate your education, skills and relevant experience, even if you haven't worked in a full-time professional role before.

Graduate employers understand that applicants are at the beginning of their careers. Instead of expecting years of experience, they look for evidence that you can learn quickly, solve problems, communicate effectively and contribute positively to their organisation.

This means your CV should focus on achievements rather than simply listing responsibilities.

How Long Should a Graduate CV Be?

For most graduates in the UK, a CV should be two pages.

One page may be suitable if you have very limited experience, but two pages usually provide enough space to include your education, work experience, transferable skills, projects and achievements without overwhelming the reader.

Remember, quality matters more than length. Every section should add value.

Graduate CV Structure

A professional graduate CV should include the following sections:

• Contact Details

• Professional Profile

• Education

• Relevant Experience

• Key Skills

• Achievements

• Additional Experience

• Interests (optional)

• References (available on request if required)

  
  

Using a clear structure makes your CV easier for recruiters to read and helps applicant tracking systems (ATS) understand your information.

Contact Details

Start with the essentials:

• Full Name

• Mobile Number

• Professional Email Address

• LinkedIn Profile (if up to date)

• Town or City

  
  

There's no need to include your full postal address, date of birth or a photograph on a UK CV.

Write a Strong Professional Profile

Your professional profile is one of the first things recruiters will read, so it should quickly explain who you are and what you can offer.

Example Graduate Profile

Motivated Business Management graduate with a 2:1 degree from the University of Leeds and experience gained through part-time retail employment and a summer marketing internship. Strong communication, customer service and analytical skills with a proactive approach to problem-solving. Seeking an opportunity to begin a career within graduate marketing where I can continue developing my commercial knowledge while contributing to organisational success.

This profile tells recruiters:

• Your qualification

• Your experience

• Your strengths

• Your career goal

  
  

All within a few sentences.

Education

As a graduate, your education is one of your strongest selling points.

Include:

• University

• Degree title

• Classification

• Graduation year

• Relevant modules

• Dissertation (if relevant)

• Academic achievements

Example

BA (Hons) Business Management – 2:1

University of Leeds

2026

Relevant Modules

• Marketing Strategy

• Consumer Behaviour

• Digital Business

• Financial Decision Making

• Project Management

  
  

Dissertation

"The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Consumer Purchasing Behaviour."

Including relevant modules helps demonstrate knowledge that relates directly to the job you're applying for.

Employment Experience

Many graduates believe they have no experience.

In reality, employers value:

• Part-time jobs

• Summer work

• Retail experience

• Hospitality

• Internships

• Placements

• Volunteering

• University societies

  
  

The key is explaining what you achieved.

Instead of writing:

Served customers.

Write:

Delivered excellent customer service while processing up to 250 transactions per shift, resolving customer queries efficiently and contributing to consistently positive customer feedback.

Numbers and achievements make your experience far more impactful.

Internship Example

Marketing Intern

ABC Marketing Ltd

June 2025 – August 2025

Responsibilities included:

• Assisted with social media campaigns.

• Conducted competitor research.

• Produced marketing reports.

• Updated website content.

• Worked alongside senior marketing executives.

• Helped coordinate promotional events.

• Analysed campaign performance using Google Analytics.

  
  

Achievements

• Contributed to a campaign that increased website traffic by 18%.

• Produced reports used during weekly management meetings.

• Received excellent feedback for attention to detail and communication skills.

  
  

Employers care about impact—not simply duties.

Key Skills

Choose skills relevant to the vacancy.

For example:

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Customer Service

• Time Management

• Organisation

• Microsoft Office

• Problem Solving

• Data Analysis

• Presentation Skills

• Research

• Adaptability

• Commercial Awareness

  
  

Where possible, support these skills throughout your CV with examples.

Transferable Skills Matter

If you've worked in retail, hospitality or customer service, you've already developed valuable workplace skills.

For example:

Retail work demonstrates:

• Customer service

• Sales

• Cash handling

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Working under pressure

  
  

Hospitality develops:

• Organisation

• Time management

• Problem solving

• Professionalism

• Attention to detail

  
  

Graduate employers understand these experiences have value.

Graduate CV Example (UK)

The following example shows how to structure a graduate CV in a professional and recruiter-friendly format.

Joe Smith

Manchester

07123 456789

joe.smith@email.com

linkedin.com/in/joesmith

Professional Profile

A motivated and ambitious Business Management graduate with a 2:1 degree and practical experience gained through a marketing internship, part-time retail employment and volunteering. A confident communicator with strong analytical, organisational and customer service skills. Passionate about building a career within marketing and eager to contribute to a forward-thinking organisation.

Education

University of Manchester

BA (Hons) Business Management – 2:1

Graduated: 2026

Relevant Modules

• Digital Marketing

• Strategic Management

• Consumer Behaviour

• Business Analytics

• Financial Management

  
  

Dissertation

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Consumer Purchasing Decisions

Marketing Intern

ABC Marketing Ltd

June 2025 – August 2025

• Assisted with planning digital marketing campaigns.

• Conducted competitor research and market analysis.

• Produced campaign performance reports.

• Updated website content using a content management system.

• Worked closely with senior marketing executives.

  
  

Achievements

• Helped increase website traffic by 18%.

• Improved social media engagement through campaign optimisation.

• Praised for excellent communication and initiative.

  
  

Sales Assistant

Next PLC

September 2023 – Present

• Delivered excellent customer service in a busy retail environment.

• Processed transactions accurately.

• Assisted with merchandising and stock management.

• Resolved customer queries professionally.

• Supported seasonal promotional events.

  
  

Achievements

• Consistently exceeded sales targets.

• Received positive customer feedback.

• Trusted to train new team members.

  
  

Key Skills

• Communication

• Customer Service

• Microsoft Office

• Teamwork

• Time Management

• Problem Solving

• Data Analysis

• Research

• Organisation

• Presentation Skills

  
  

Additional Experience

Volunteer Careers Ambassador

University Careers Service

• Supported careers events.

• Welcomed employers attending graduate fairs.

• Assisted students with event registration.

  
  

Interests

• Football

• Photography

• Travelling

• Running

• Reading business and technology publications

  
  

What If You Have No Work Experience?

This is one of the most common concerns among graduates, but it's rarely as significant as people think.

Recruiters understand that not everyone has completed multiple internships or held professional roles during university. What matters is demonstrating that you've developed skills and taken opportunities to learn.

You can include:

• University projects

• Group assignments

• Dissertation research

• Volunteering

• Student societies

• Charity work

• Freelance work

• Personal projects

• Online certifications

• Leadership roles

  
  

For example, if you were Treasurer of a university society, you developed budgeting, organisation, communication and leadership skills—all of which employers value.

Tailor Your CV for Every Job Application

One of the biggest mistakes graduates make is sending exactly the same CV to every employer.

Instead, tailor each application by reviewing the job description and identifying:

• Essential skills

• Preferred experience

• Industry-specific terminology

• Software knowledge

• Professional competencies

  
  

Then incorporate these naturally into your CV where they genuinely reflect your experience.

For example, if a graduate role highlights:

• Stakeholder communication

• Project coordination

• Microsoft Excel

• Data analysis

  
  

Make sure your CV demonstrates those skills through your education, projects or employment where appropriate.

Make Your Graduate CV ATS-Friendly

Many graduate employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to help manage applications.

To improve your chances:

• Use standard headings such as Education, Employment History and Key Skills.

• Avoid graphics, icons and text boxes.

• Choose a simple, professional layout.

• Save your CV in the requested format (usually PDF or Word).

• Include relevant keywords from the job advert naturally throughout your CV.

A well-structured CV is easier for both recruitment software and hiring managers to read.

10 Common Graduate CV Mistakes

Avoid these mistakes when applying for graduate roles:

1. Writing a generic CV

Tailor your CV to every role rather than sending the same version to every employer.

2. Focusing only on responsibilities

Employers want achievements, not just lists of duties.

3. Including spelling and grammar mistakes

Proofread your CV carefully. Even small mistakes can create a poor first impression.

4. Making your profile too vague

Avoid generic statements such as "Hard-working individual seeking opportunities."

Instead, explain what you've studied, what you've achieved and what you're looking for.

5. Listing every module you've studied

Only include modules that are relevant to the position.

6. Ignoring transferable skills

Retail, hospitality and volunteering all develop valuable workplace skills.

7. Using an unprofessional email address

Create a simple email address using your name wherever possible.

8. Making your CV too long

Most graduate CVs should be no longer than two pages.

9. Forgetting to include achievements

Employers remember results.

Use evidence wherever possible.

Examples include:

• Increased sales.

• Improved customer satisfaction.

• Organised university events.

• Achieved academic awards.

• Led successful projects.

  
  

10. Not updating LinkedIn

Many recruiters will search for your LinkedIn profile after reading your CV.

Ensure your profile is complete and consistent with your CV.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should a graduate CV be one or two pages?

For most graduates, two pages provides enough space to showcase education, work experience, transferable skills and achievements without unnecessary detail.

Should I include A Levels?

Yes. If you've recently graduated and have limited professional experience, including your A Levels can help demonstrate your academic background.

Should I include GCSEs?

You don't need to list every GCSE individually. Simply stating that you achieved GCSEs including English and Maths (if applicable) is often sufficient.

Do employers expect graduates to have experience?

No. Employers understand graduates are at the beginning of their careers. They are looking for potential, transferable skills, enthusiasm and evidence that you can learn and develop.

Should I include hobbies?

Yes, if they demonstrate positive qualities or help present a rounded picture of you. Team sports, volunteering, fundraising and creative interests can all add value when relevant.

Final Thoughts

Writing your first graduate CV can seem daunting, but remember that employers aren't expecting decades of experience. They want to see evidence that you've developed the knowledge, skills and attitude needed to succeed in the workplace.

Focus on your education, transferable skills, achievements and any practical experience you've gained through part-time work, internships, volunteering or university projects. Tailor your CV to every application, keep the layout professional and demonstrate your value with clear, measurable examples wherever possible.

A strong graduate CV won't guarantee an interview, but it will significantly improve your chances of standing out in a competitive job market.

Ready to Launch Your Career?

Your first graduate CV can make a lasting impression. If you're unsure how to present your experience or want to maximise your chances of securing interviews, Your CV Pro can help.

Our experienced CV writers create bespoke, ATS-friendly graduate CVs tailored to your career goals, helping you showcase your education, skills and potential with confidence.